San Ramon commissioners to weigh decision on 43-lot housing development

After months of talks, the San Ramon Planning Commission is set to consider a final decision on a proposed 43-lot housing development on the northwest side of the city Tuesday night.

The consideration comes after the proposed development — to be located just northwest of the Bollinger Canyon and Crow Canyon roads intersection — underwent three public hearings, environmental review and a 30-day public review period. On Tuesday, commissioners will once more hold a public hearing on the proposal by applicant David Bowlby and then, following a discussion, consider whether to approve the project as recommended by city planning staff.

If approved, Bowlby will move forward with satisfying the project’s conditions of approval and with formalizing the affordable housing agreement with the city of San Ramon.

The project site is one of two major properties located within the Northwest Specific Plan (NWSP), the other being the Faria property (now called The Preserve).

“The NWSP guides development and conservation in a 354-acre area within and adjacent to the San Ramon city limit, and envisions a residential neighborhood, park and open space on the proposed Chang property housing site,” wrote senior planner Cindy Yee in a staff report.

The project would involve the subdivision and development of 43 single-family homes and 18 secondary dwelling units (SDUs) — with a minimum lot size of 12,500 square feet — on a 16-acre portion of the 195-acre project site. The development application also includes provisions for street improvements, landscaping, utilities, a tot lot for project residents and other improvements for that residential parcel.

In line with NWSP guidelines, outside of the 16-acre residential parcel, most of the Chang property’s acreage would remain as is.

“The vast majority of the project site, approximately 177 acres, would remain as open space for scenic, agricultural, future trails and habitat mitigation purposes,” Yee wrote.

Bowlby is also planning on constructing a two-acre passive park with a parking lot and adjacent bio-retention area on a non-residential parcel, again aligned with the NWSP vision.

Overall, the project hasn’t much changed since the initial Sept. 5 meeting, though questions and clarifications put forward by commissioners and the community have been incorporated into the staff report.

At the most recent public hearing on Oct. 17, commissioners raised concerns regarding the protection of the special-status Northern California black walnuts, water service for the development and affordable housing requirements.

In terms of the fauna, all special status plants within the development area will be mapped, and the project will avoid those populations if possible, according to staff. If impact to special-status plants cannot be avoided, they will be relocated according to a plan prepared by a qualified botanist.

Other mitigation measures for potential biological impacts of the development were also outlined in the staff report.

The East Bay Municipal Utility District Water Services confirmed in an email to the city that water service would be available for the project: “Water service to the subject property will be available contingent upon evidence of annexation to the East Bay Municipal Utility District (District) and compliance with the District’s Regulations governing water service and Schedule of Rates and Charges,” wrote Jeni McGregor, EBMUD’s senior civil engineer for water service planning, in an email dated Oct. 30.

And finally, Bowlby plans to use the 18 secondary dwelling units (SDUs) located on some of the residence lots to meet the NWSP’s affordable housing requirements, which state that a minimum of 25% of proposed units constructed must be set aside for affordable households.

Staff considers SDUs on 18 of the site’s 43 lots as representing 42% of the total number of housing units, though the single-family homes on those 18 lots are not designated as affordable. The affordability component is only applicable if the lots’ property owners decide to rent out the SDUs.

Three comment letters were received during the month-long public comment period: one from the Dublin San Ramon Services District (DSRSD), another from Caltrans and one from the Contra Costa Local Agency Formation Commission (LAFCO).

DSRSD’s letter stated that although the project was outside its service area, they had reviewed the proposal and had no comment on the environmental review. Caltrans offered some recommendations for ways to reduce vehicle mileage associated with the project, and Contra Costa LAFCO requested further information, particularly regarding greenhouse gas emissions. Responses were provided to all of LAFCO’s queries, including that the project is consistent with the city’s Climate Action Plan.

The meeting is scheduled to begin at 7 p.m. Tuesday in the Council Chamber at City Hall, 7000 Bollinger Canyon Road.

In other business

* Commissioners will hold a public hearing and consider approving a use permit for a tutoring center at 2226 and 2228 Camino Ramon, within the Commons Office Park. The tutoring center, operated by EducationX Network, would hold up to 40 students.

* Commissioners will hold a public hearing and consider approving a proposed retail building replacing the vacant building that used to house Max’s Opera Cafe at 2015 Crow Canyon Place, right on the northeast corner with Crow Canyon Road.

* The commission will receive and provide feedback on the concept review for a 19-lot, single-family residential development at 2481 Deerwood Drive.